


After The Fire

by BarryJay



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-23 03:06:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13778346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarryJay/pseuds/BarryJay
Summary: Something is wrong, and Lup is going to find outwhat.





	After The Fire

Lup knew something was off when Barry didn’t grab his usual cup of coffee, and she knew it was really bad when he chose to void breakfast and to lock himself in his lab. After the battle with the hunger, and the rush of helping the world rebuild, and then getting her body back, along with bargaining with the Raven Queen; it was only recently that the two really had any quiet time. Sure they had to do a reaping job every now and again, but it was fairly quiet compared to the end of the world.   
As she watched him walk past the kitchen/dining room and down to the basement Lup stood almost immediately. If she didn’t find out what was wrong now, Barry would spiral into a loop of the same actions, mindlessly forgetting to eat or shower. It was a delicate process, finding out why he was upset. Barry wouldn’t lash out when provoked, but would fold in on himself, like a piece of origami paper. Lup pushed her chair in at the table and followed Barry into the basement. This was his lab, full of old books and equipment she usually didn’t mess with. A thick rug covered a wood floor, it was burned in patches and stained from experiments gone wrong. Barry was sat at his desk in a far corner, hunched over some book he was obviously not reading. His glasses were pushed on top of his head as if he had recently rubbed tears away from his eyes. Lup didn’t say anything at first, and walked around the room letting herself make little noises with the books, or some equipment to show she was in the room. Letting Barry have the opening to speak up if he wanted to voice what was on his mind. She looked over at him and saw he hadn’t moved from staring blankly at the page of the book. 

“Barry dear, do you want a coffee?” Lup said breaking the silence. 

“No thanks, I'm not that hungry this morning”

“Oh...well do you want any help today?” 

“I think I have it covered, thank you for asking anyways” 

He kept staring at the same paper for the next minute that Lup stood there. A tear moved down his cheek and splashed against the ancient text. “Barry? Do you want to talk about what’s wrong?” She asked, moving closer to him. She stood next to his chair and placed a hand on his back and rubbed in small circles. Barry’s shoulders hunched slightly as he shook his head and buried his face in his hands. “That’s okay Barry,” She whispered leaning into him. When he didn’t want to talk, usually just being with him helped him calm down. But this time something was wrong. He shied away from her touch, and shook with a sob. “Barry babe, did I do something?” Again he shook his head and pulled his hands away from his face and looked up at Lup. His eyes met hers and she could see him breaking inside. The guilt that he was feeling was almost tangible. “W-what did you do babe? I’ll forgive you for it, whatever it is. I can see you feel horrible about it…” Barry opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, just a pleading look in his eyes. His hands, shaking, grabbed Lup’s tightly. She leaned down and kissed his forehead gently and whispered. “It’s all gonna be okay Barold.” She pulled him up from his seat and kept holding his hand. Barry followed her lead up and out of the basement and to the kitchen table. He sat, his mouth parted slightly still as if to say something. Yet no words came yet. Lup went to the sink and pulled out a washcloth, wetting it with cold water and wringing it out. Next she sat next to Barry at the table and pulled his glasses off his head, folding them and setting them on the table. Taking the cool cloth, she gently wiped the remaining tears off of Barry’s face. He closed his eyes, and sighed heavily, slumping in his seat. Lup smiled at him, seeing his protective shell break. After she set the cloth on the table they sat in silence, as Barry visibly ran over what he wanted to say in his mind. 

“I..” His voice broke as he spoke up. “I’m so sorry I never found you Lup. If- If only I had gone to Wave Echo Cave with the boys when they asked me… I would have saved you then…” He paused between sentences, taking deep breaths. This didn’t help and soon warm tears were spilling across his face again. “Lup, you are my world, my everything, and I did such a bad job at- at remembering.” 

They had spoken briefly before on this subject, about his tireless search. Dying over and over, but not in depth. Barry at the time would close himself off to the subject and only speak in short bursts about it. Now it was a tsunami, spilling from him, flooding his brain and destroying his heart. 

“I had so many chances Lup. I was too weak to save you. I was too scared to find Lucretia and have her fix everything. It’s all my fault you were trapped for twelve years. My messages to the boys were too cryptic. ‘Are you afraid?!’ Gosh I really said that didn’t I?” 

Lup’s brows were creased in concern, but she knew he needed to let this out. All this guilt he carried. She grabbed his hand as he talked about his days searching for her in detail. How he died, and sometimes feared he would never find her. That he would become corrupt as a lich. How she would be gone forever, and so would the rest of his family… 

When Barry could no longer find words, he stared at Lup mouthing “I’m sorry” over and over. She gently pulled him into her harms, holding him tighter and tighter as he shook. She pressed kisses into his ruffled hair, and whispered “I love you” every time he apologized. Barry’s breathing eventually eased, and he stopped shaking, his arms pulling her equally as tight into his chest. He pulled his head back from where it had been buried in her hair and neck. 

“Lup, c-can you ever forgive me?”

“I have nothing to forgive you for. You did your best to find me. You died over and over for *ME*. I couldn’t ask for more from you. Barry I love you, and you spent 12 years loving me and not stopping. It’s not your fault you couldn’t remember me. It was never your fault, none of this” 

Lup leaned her forehead against his and closed her eyes. “I love you ya big nerd, and don’t you *EVER* forget that!” She could feel him chuckle, before he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her softly and smiled. 

"Thanks Lup"


End file.
